Fruit and vegetable filling table



H. amma:

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FILLING TABLE Filed Feb. 21., 1955 Patented Jan. 28,1936 Ul llTED STATES PATENT OFFIQE Harry Barge, Celina, Ohio, assignorto Crampton tlanneries, Ina, Celina, Ohio, a corporation cf OhioApplication February 21, 1935, Serial No. 7,651

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in filling and inspection tablesadapted for use in the semi-automatic packaging of fruit and vegetablesin suitable containers.

The main object of the invention is to provide a filling table of thischaracter in which the containers are fed by gravity to an inlet end ofthe table, and are moved thereafter intermittently toward the dischargeend to permit proper filling thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwith means for automatically feeding a predetermined quantity of liquidto each container during one of its periods of rest in the fillingtable.

A further object is to provide a device of this character with meansoperated in alternation with the liquid filling means for moving thecontalners intermittently through the filling table.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription thereof proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of the filling table;

Figure 2 is a top plan of the same;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure l; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail to an enlarged scale of part of themechanism for elfecting' the step-by-step movements of the containersthrough the filling table.

As shown in the drawing, the invention comprises skeleton frame-workdesignated generally by the reference numeral i. This frame-workcomprises front standards 2, 3, and 4; and rear standards 5, 5, and l.The standards 2, 3, and 4 are secured at their upper ends in properspaced relation by means of a board 8, which forms the front wall of thefilling table proper. The lower ends of the standards 2, 3, and 4 arelikewise secured in proper spaced apart relation by means of the angleiron runner 9.

The lower ends of the standards 5, 5, and l are secured in proper spacedrelation in the frame work by means of the angle iron runner it; and theupper end of the standards 5, and l are secured in spaced relation bymeans of the runner H. The front and rear standards are secured togetherby suitable cross bars which are clearly shown in the drawing.

The table proper comprises a top it? extending lengthwise of theframework and suitably supported at its opposite ends and intermediatethe ends by transverse members of the framework. This top 12 slopesdownwardly toward the rear standards 5, 6, and l, and is connected atits rear edge to the back wall 13, which slopes upwardly from the top I2and is suitably secured at its upper edge to the upper ends of thestandards 5, 5, and l. The top [2 not only slopes rearwardly of theframework, but is also slightly inclined toward the inlet end of thetable, in order to cause the fruit juices to flow by gravity toward adischarge spout I4, which extends through the table l2 and conductsliquid flowing from the table top into a tank 15, suitably supported inthe framework near the inlet end of the table.

The front edge of the top l2 has a board is suitably secured thereto.The boards 8 and 16 are spaced apart from each other at their lower endsto form in effect an open bottomed hopper arranged directly over a spoutll, which extends from the inlet end of the machine to the outlet endthereof, for the purpose of conducting overflow from the containers tothe discharge end of the machine.

The inlet end of the machine is connected to a skeleton gravity conveyorI8 having an inlet [9 through which cans may be fed for movement bygravity toward the inlet station 20. The cans thus fed toward thestation 20, are moved intermittently along a supporting rail 2| betweenguide rails 22, 23, 24, and 25 extending lengthwise of the table andsuitably secured in the framework 1.

The intermittent movement above referred to is effected by means of apusher plate 26 which is secured at right angles to a cut-off plate 21;both of which plates extend perpendicularly to a base plate 28, which inturn is suitably secured to a plate 29 extending from the upper end ofsupporting arms 30 and 3|. The lower end of the arms 30 and 3| aresecured to sleeves 32 and 33, slidably mounted on the rods 34 and 35, respectively. The rods 34 and 35 are secured at their outer ends to thevertical plate 36 of an angle iron having its horizontal plate 31 fixedto the upper end of angle braces 38 and 39, respectively, which havetheir lower ends suitably secured to a cross rail 40 fixed to thestandards 4 and 7 near the lower ends thereof.

The plate 28 is suitably fixed to the cross bar 4| of a memberdesignated generally by the reference character 42, fixed at itsopposite ends to the sleeves 32 and 33, which as aforesaid, slide on therods 34 and 35. The lower end of the member? 42 is fixed to the pistonrod 43, extending through a fitting 44, and is connected to pumpingmechanism (not shown) enclosed in the pump cylinder 45.

The fitting 44 is connected at one end to a a 53, and elbow 54 to a pipe55 for'discharging liquid pumped from the tank l5 into any con-.

tainer which may be positioned'directly below the pipe 55 on the runway29.

The pump is operated by means of a motor 55 suitably supported on theframework and connected by a belt 5? to a its shaft 59 journaled torotate in suitable bearings 60 and El carried by the framework I; Theshaft 59 extends through the bearing 6! and has the pinion E2 fixedthereto and in mesh with the large spur gear 53. The gear 63' is fixedto a shaft 64, the outer end of which has a crank arm suitably securedthereto. The other end of the crank arm 65 is pivoted to one end of apitman 66, the other end of which is pivoted to the slide member 42intermediate the ends thereof. The lower end of the member 42 is fixedto the pump rod ,33 and the arrangement is such that rotation of thecrankshaft 64 causes'a discharge operation of the pump simultaneouslywith the withdrawing operation of the pusher plate 26.

As usual in devices of this kind the motor 56 is intended to runcontinuously. The shaft 65 is provided with a sleeve 'i notched toengage corresponding notches on a bossfill formed at the end of thecrank arm 65 where it is secured to the shaft 64. The clutch'sleeve ETis slidable into and out of engagement with the boss 68 by means of theyoke lever 10 fulcrumed between its ends ma bracket "H, secured suitablyto an angle iron support 12 forming part of the framework i. The lever'86 is rocked about the. fulcrum H by means of a link 12 pivoted at oneend to the lever Hi and at its other end to a crank arm 13 suitablysecured to a crank shaft 14, which is journaled in the standards 2, and3 and provided at its outer. end with an operating handle 15. i a Q Ascreen it is mounted toward the rear edge of the table I2 with its loweredge covering the outlet of the discharge spout l4. Hooks 11 ,at theupper edge of the screen engage the edge of driven pulley 58 having 7receptacles to the said tank for.

the back wall l3 to hold the screen in position.

The screenflfi is intended to be readily removed from its position shownwhenever it becomes necessary to wash off the top of the'table l2,

In operation, the cans are fed by an operator to the inlet end IQ of thegravity conveyor IS. The cans then move by gravity to the station 26,whence they are moved intermittently by the pusher plate 26 .onto thehorizontal runway 2|. During this movement the cutoff plate 2'! preventsthe movement of any can from the conveyor It into the station Z9. As thepusher plate 26 is moved outwardly from the inlet end of the .machine,another can from the conveyor moves by gravity to the station 20. In themeantime, the row of cans on the runway 2l' is stationary; and, duringthis period of rest thepump discharges a predetermined quantity ofliquid from the tank l5 through the discharge spout 55 into the canimmediately below it.v g V The intermittent movement of the cans givesthe operator or operators sufficient time to fill the cans properlyduring their periods of rest. The filled cans may, of course, be cappedmanually after filling and while still on'the runway 2i; or they may thefilling table to any other location for further processing or storage. c

What I claim is:

A filling table comprising a frame having a working table top adapted tosupport filling material, a guideway for receptacles extending alongand. at one side of one edge of said top, said top being inclineddownwardly from said edge, a tank below said top, a gravity conveyor formoving inlet end of said guideway, a pusher moving said receptacles fromsaid inlet end on to said guideway, a pump connectedto transferringliquid in measured quantities from said tank to a location directlyabove said guideway, means for simultaneously operating said pump andpusher, ing an aperture through the lower part thereof for conductingliquid by gravity from the material on said top into said tank andascreen on said table top to prevent solid material passing through saidaperture onto said tank.

. HARRY BURGE.

be moved after discharge from i said top hav

